


troubled thoughts and self-esteem to match

by honeybearbee



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Movie Fusion, M/M, Minor Character Death, Non-Graphic Violence, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-01
Updated: 2012-09-01
Packaged: 2017-11-13 08:29:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/501483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeybearbee/pseuds/honeybearbee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Steve runs a company devoted to weapons, gets kidnapped, sees the error of his ways and becomes a superhero. Oh, and manages to drive Danny crazy. So, all in all, it's not too different from the show.</p>
            </blockquote>





	troubled thoughts and self-esteem to match

**Author's Note:**

> For [hawaii-bigbang](http://hawaii-bigbang.livejournal.com/) on LJ. 
> 
> Beta'd by popkin16. Any mistakes found are my own.
> 
> Art by [azuremonkey](http://azuremonkey.livejournal.com/profile) and can be found [here](http://thefixedfoot.livejournal.com/39428.html).
> 
> Also! See if you can spot the Bandom reference.

_Las Vegas, NV_

The room was dark and people shifted anxiously in their seats. The front of the room lit up, showing a small stage and a podium. A video began playing, showing various photos of Steve McGarrett as a voice began speaking.

 _By the age of seven, Steve McGarrett had already surpassed other children his age, winning three worldwide science fairs. He graduated high school by thirteen. By nineteen he had finished two doctorates, one in engineering, and the other in mathematics. Even after losing his parents at the age of twenty-one, he continued to invent new things. With the help of long-time family friend, Pat Jameson, Steve propelled McGarrett Industries into the twenty-first century and beyond. Listed as America’s most wealthy and most wanted bachelor, Steve has earned numerous awards for his scientific breakthroughs. Today he is presented with an award for excellence for making our lives safer. Here to present the award is Lieutenant Colonel Chin Ho Kelly._

The voice over ended with a round of applause and Chin stepped onto the stage and walked towards the podium. A spotlight shown on him and he blinked a little under the bright glare.

“Thank you,” he smiled nervously under the attention of all the people in the room. “I’ve known Steve for quite some time. He’s incorrigible, brash and sometimes annoying, but he cares for our country and the people in it. I’m honored to present the American Science Award of Excellence to Steve McGarrett.” Chin picked up an award from behind the podium and held it out in front of him. “So, come on up and get it Steve.”

There was more applause as the spotlight swung to the table where Steve was supposed to be. His seat was empty. In the seat next to the empty chair, Pat Jameson smiled politely and could only shrug as Chin glared. She stood and made her way to the stage. She kissed Chin’s cheek and took the award. Chin backed away and stood awkwardly off to the side.

“Thank you Chin. I know that Steve appreciates this award. He couldn’t make it tonight, but I’m sure he’s off somewhere coming up with new ideas to make us even safer,” she smiled widely.

****

Steve McGarrett held out his hand full of dice to a woman next to him. “Blow. For luck,” he smirked. She blew lightly on the dice with a smirk of her own. Steve threw the dice and they rolled a seven. Everyone who was crowded around the table cheered.

“Good roll, boss,” Kamekona, Steve’s driver and bodyguard, said as he handed him a drink.

“Thanks, big guy,” Steve replied as he took a long drink. When he placed the empty glass back on the craps table, he noticed he had an angry Chin Ho Kelly in front of him.

“Here’s your award,” Chin said as he shoved it in Steve’s face.

Steve blinked and moved his head away. “Oh. Thanks, Chin.” He grinned and turned back to the game. “You want a drink? Get him a drink.”

“You said you would show up if I gave you the award,” Chin continued. “And no, I don’t want a drink.” A waitress slid in between Chin and Steve and placed a drink down on the craps table. She gave Chin a slow glance and smiled at him. Chin smiled back, but then shook his head. “Steve,” he started.

Steve sighed and rolled his eyes. He pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his pocket and put them on. “I’m out of here.” He pushed his chips towards the woman who had blown on his dice earlier. “You keep it all.” He grabbed Chin’s unwanted drink and the award and walked away, with Kamekona and Chin following.

“Steve!” Chin yelled after him.

Steve stopped and waited for his friends to catch up. “It’s a nice award, Chin. I’ll put it on my mantle.”

“You won’t,” Chin replied with a reluctant smile.

“No, I won’t,” Steve smiled back. “I’ll treasure it. Always.”

Chin laughed and grabbed Steve’s arm. “Listen, I have to get back to base, but remember we meet at the airport at ten am.”

“Sure. Aloha.”

“Aloha!” Chin waved as he walked away. “And don’t lose that award!”

“I won’t,” Steve called out. He finished his drink, handed the empty glass off to Kamekona, who gave it to a passing waitress. Then he gave the award to some random tourists. “Enjoy,” he said. The tourists stared down at the award as he left them behind.

“Don’t you wanna keep it, boss?” Kamekona asked.

“Nah. I have three more like it at home waiting to be melted down.”

Kamekona snorted as he handed the valet the tag to the car. They stood in companionable silence as they waited for the car. Once it was there, Kamekona opened the back door. Before Steve could get inside a voice called out to him, “Mr. McGarrett!”

He turned and saw a woman coming towards him. Steve slipped his sunglasses down his nose a bit and smiled at her. “Hello,” he smiled winningly.

She didn’t smile back. “Laura Hills for _Vanity Fair_. I wanted to talk to you about your arms dealing.”

The smile left Steve’s face and he pushed his sunglasses back up. “I’m not giving interviews.” He turned back to the car, but Laura wasn’t giving up.

“Is it true that half, if not all, of the weapons you manufacture go to terrorists?” she asked.

Steve looked at Laura. “You know, most people find me and my smile charming.”

“I don’t.”

“Give me six hours and if you still feel that way, I’ll tell you everything.”

“Six hours?”

“That’s how long it takes to get from here to Honolulu.”

Laura gave Steve a speculative look, but he only grinned at her. “Deal.”

****

_Honolulu, HI_

_“The weather today is a nice seventy-five degrees…”_

Laura jolted awake as Steve’s alarm clock clicked on. She sat up and wrapped herself in the bed sheets and walked towards the windows, looking for curtains. She jumped back as the windows became lighter, showing her a magnificent view of the Hawaiian coastline. She threw on the shirt Steve was wearing last night and walked around the rest of his home. She took a spiral staircase down to the living area and noticed the stairs continued further down. Before she could go down them, Laura glanced towards the around the living room and stared in awe. It had floor to ceiling windows that opened onto a balcony above the Pacific. There was nice, white furniture all throughout the room and more technology in the one room than most people had in their whole houses. 

Laura was about to touch a control panel on the wall, when a short blonde man in a suit walked towards her, holding out a garment bag.

“Your things,” he said coldly.

“Thanks,” Laura smiled slightly. She took the bag and looked around. “So, where’s Steve?”

“Working,” the man replied.

Laura narrowed her eyes. “You’re his secretary, Daniel Williams.”

“Assistant. And yes, I am. Now, if you’ll get dressed, there’s a car waiting for you outside. You can go anywhere you like.”

Laura looked down at him and smirked. “You’ve worked for Steve for years and he still has you picking up dry cleaning.”

“I do anything and everything Mr. McGarrett requires. Including occasionally taking out the trash.” Danny asked, mock polite. He smirked inwardly as she flinched at the dig. He watched as she stalked away before turning towards the stairs.

****

Downstairs in his garage, Steve was tinkering with an old Mercury Marquis Brougham that his dad had left him. The plan was to fix it together to spend quality time, but then his dad died. Steve left it alone for years until one night after he got very drunk. He smashed the headlights and windows and took a bat to the exterior. When he awoke the next morning with a sad and disapproving Danny looking down at him, Steve decided he would fix the car up again.

Now, though he was working on a carburetor, sipping on some whiskey and listening to the AC/DC that MAMO was playing for him. “Is she gone?” he asked as the door opened.

“Yes. I’ve cleaned up your mess again. Why can’t you just stay with one?” Danny asked with a sigh.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Steve asked as he stood. He walked away from the car and towards the bar he had installed.

“If you don’t leave now, you’ll be late. Chin is waiting for you.”

“There’s no rush.” He poured himself another drink and took a sip before turning to look at Danny. His assistant was wearing a dark suit with a matching tie, black loafers with a slight heel, and a light blue shirt. Steve reached out and tugged on Danny’s tie. “You still wear this thing after all these years? It’s Hawaii, brah.”

Danny scoffed and pulled his tie away. “I am a professional, Mr. McGarrett, and I want to look like one. And with you as my employer, this place could use some professionalism. Now, you have to change and leave before going to the airstrip.”

Steve smirked and took another sip of his drink. “Are you coming with me?”

“No,” Danny shifted and cleared his throat. “It’s my day off.”

“You don’t take days off.”

“It’s my birthday. I’m spending the day with Gracie.”

“Oh.” Steve paused. “Did I get you anything for your birthday?”

“The day with Grace and dolphins at the best hotel in Honolulu,” Danny quirked his lips up in an approximation of a smile.

“I have good taste.” He stared down at Danny as he spoke. 

“Look at you,” Danny scoffed, changing the subject. “You’re covered in grease. I bet you got grease on my tie.” He poked Steve in the chest. “Get moving, you Neanderthal. Clean up, change, and go! Chin is going to kill you for being late.” Danny swept out of the garage and upstairs.

“Whatever,” Steve replied as he rolled his eyes. He downed his drink and then did as Danny said. Steve was reckless, but not stupid.

****

Steve pulled into the airstrip where his private plane was waiting a good two hours after he should have been there. He and Kamekona got out of the car. Kamekona got his bag, while Steve approached the plane. It had been waiting for him this whole time with an irate Lieutenant Colonel inside.

“God damn it, Steve!” Chin yelled as he climbed down the stairs to meet him. “I’ve been here for two hours. You could have called.”

“Sorry,” Steve replied, clearly not sorry at all. “I got wrapped in something.”

“Here you go, boss,” Kamekona spoke up before Chin could retort. Steve tossed his bodyguard the keys while he took the bag. 

“Don’t get arrested,” Steve said to Kamekona as he boarded the plane.

“I don’t drive nearly as fast as you do, boss!” Kamekona called out.

Steve laughed, but soon stopped when he saw the look on Chin’s face. “You shouldn’t take it personally, Chin. I’d would have done this to anyone.” He put his bag behind a chair and sat down. He waved a stewardess over. “Can my friend and I get some food? And sake?”

“I don’t want any sake,” Chin huffed as he sat across from Steve. 

“Everyone wants sake.”

“Steve. This is serious. We are behind schedule.”

“The United States Government has waited this long for my super weapons, they can wait a little longer.”

Chin sighed and gave up. “What did you get wrapped up in?”

Steve smiled as the stewardess placed his food and drink in front of him. “A long legged reporter.”

Chin rolled his eyes and grabbed a glass. “I’ll have that sake now.”

****

_Afghanistan_

Hours later, after they landed in Afghanistan and sobered up, Steve and Chin made their way to the US Air Force Base where Steve was going to show off the new McGarrett Homing Missiles. Then they were taken to a remote area so Steve could present his sales pitch.

Steve stood in front of a far off mountain range. Next to him were the controls for his new weapons. In front of him were an assorted number of military types. Steve was dressed to impress the people in front of him. He had on a black pinstripe Armani suit, a pink shirt just to make the military men uncomfortable, a black tie, and black pair of dress shoes. He was also wearing his signature pair of sunglasses, because he had the headache from hell. _No more sake-Jäger bombs before a job with explosions,_ he thought darkly. He glanced towards Chin, who looked worse than Steve. The other man was also wearing sunglasses and glaring at Steve. Steve only shrugged and gave Chin a small smile. Chin huffed and turned his attention back to a General who was talking, so Steve counted that as Chin forgiving him.

“And now, Mr. McGarrett will tell us all about his newest weapon,” the General finished. He turned towards Steve. “The floor is yours, Mr. McGarrett.”

“Thank you,” Steve replied before clearing his throat loudly. “Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for coming today. Now, as you know, terrorists are just out there,” Steve waved a hand behind him. “And we want to stop them. So I bring to you, McGarrett Homing Missiles, better than regular homing missiles. Mine never miss. Ah, I see your faces of distrust, but I can show you.” He walked over to the controls and pressed a button. As the missile launched into the air, Steve walked back to his previous position and waited. Soon enough the mountain range behind him exploded and a cloud of dust washed over the group. “And that,” Steve continued as the dust settled, “is how you stop terrorism.”

Everyone applauded as Steve walked away and towards the convoy of Humvees they had ridden in out to this remote area. He pulled out his phone and dialed Pat.

“You know it’s like two am over here,” she said with a laugh in her voice as she answered his call.

“I thought you wanted to know how it went,” Steve replied cheekily.

“Well?”

“It went fabulous, why’d you even call me?”

“Steve!” Pat laughed.

“Go back to sleep you worry wart.” He hung up on her and got into a Humvee. Chin made to get in with him, but Steve pushed him out. “No, no. You grab another ride. This is the funvee,” he said seriously. “And you aren’t fun.”

“Fine,” Chin growled. “I’ll see you back at base.”

“Don’t wait up, dear,” Steve called out as he shut the door. He turned to one of the army men and said, “He’s so hung over.” The men laugh awkwardly, but Steve just kept a nice, big smile on his face.

****

Steve was joking around with the men in his humvee, when suddenly the humvee in front of them exploded. Steve flinched as he was pushed down to avoid the bullets breaking the windows. The two men in front were killed instantly.

“Stay inside,” the man next to him yelled as he climbed out of the humvee.

Steve watched in horror as he was riddled with bullets as soon as the door shut. Steve scrambled out of the humvee and looked around for Chin, but couldn’t see him through the thick cloud of dust. He pulled out his cell phone as he hid behind a large rock.

As he was typing out a text to Danny that said, _Help. Under attack. I l–_ , a bomb fell next to him. Steve couldn’t spare even a random thought despite seeing _McGarrett Industries_ on the side of it as he tried to crawl away, before it exploded. He groaned as he was thrown backwards. He tried to sit up, but cried out in pain and felt his chest. When he brought his hand back into his eye line, he saw it was covered in blood.

He passed out before his brain could process any more information.

****

Steve woke up later with a sharp pain in his chest and the sensation of not being able to breathe properly. He gasped as he felt around his face and pulled out a long oxygen tube of his nose. He reached down to his chest and felt around. Looking down he let out a strangled noise as he saw a car battery hooked up to something in his chest. He reached to unhook the battery but was stopped by a female voice said from above him.

“I wouldn’t do that.” 

Steve looked up and saw a young woman with short blonde hair. “Why not?” he rasped.

“It’s keeping you alive. I did the best I could with what they had.”

“Who are you? Where are we?” Steve’s throat felt like it was on fire. He needed a drink, badly.

“I’m Jenna Kay. And we are–” she was cut off by the sound of the door opening.

Jenna helped Steve stand and handed him the battery. He clutched it to his chest and watched warily as men with guns surrounded him and Jenna.

One of the men spoke in a language Steve didn’t recognize. Jenna knew it though, since she responded back. The man gestured towards Steve.

“He wants you to help make weapons,” Jenna said.

“No.”

The man looked back and Jenna, who smiled nervously. “Steve. You’ll want to do what they say.”

“Oh, why? I never listen to anyone.” Steve moved closer to his captor and said loudly and forcefully, “No.”

The man must have knew what that meant, since his face twisted in displeasure. He shouted at his men and two of them grabbed Steve and drug him out of the room. The last thing Steve saw before being taken around a corner was Jenna’s concerned face.

****

It was hours later when Steve was thrown back into his cell. It felt like days, but as Jenna helped him onto a cot, she assured him it had only been four hours.

“I told you,” she muttered. “What did they do to you?”

Steve looked towards her with dull eyes. He clutched the car battery to his chest even tighter than before. “Well,” he coughed. “Let’s just say I won’t want to go swimming or scuba diving for a while.”

Jenna winced in understanding and pushed the hair off’s Steve’s face. “I’ve been working for them for some time now. I thought they were going to help the people here, but they only want to destroy everything. I can only do so much and when they heard you were here…” she trailed off.

“Why am I so special?” Steve asked.

“They’ll tell you,” Jenna said softly as she continued to pet Steve’s head.

Steve was lulled into sleep by her gentle strokes and soft voice. It strangely reminded him of his mother.

****

When Steve woke up later, Jenna was still there, reading a book. He looked at her and said, “We met once.”

“Yes,” Jenna replied without looking up from her book. She had a small smile on her face. “At a engineering conference.”

“Yeah. Your work was amazing.”  
That did get Jenna to look away. “Oh. Thanks. I didn’t think–”

“That I don’t pay attention to anyone but myself?” Steve quipped as he sat up gingerly. “Most of the time that’s true, but I always pay attention when there is brilliant work in front of me. I was going to ask you to work from me, but you disappeared.”

Jenna glanced away and coughed. “Yes. I had…personal reasons.”

“Fair enough.” Steve was about to say more, when the door to their cell was opened. He stood stiffly, still holding the battery keeping him alive and Jenna stood next to him.

The man from before started talking, this time much more smugly.

“He wants to show you something,” Jenna said.

Steve nodded and had a hood thrown over his face. He wanted to struggle, but knew any fighting back wouldn’t be good for him. He felt someone grab his arm and from the light grip, Steve knew it was Jenna. He took a deep breath and let himself be guided through the cave tunnels. He came to a stop and winced as the hood was pulled off and his eyes were exposed to the bright light of the sun. As he blinked and cleared his vision, he looked around. There were about one hundred men milling about, but Steve knew there had to be more inside the caves and even in the surrounding area. He was shoved down an incline and forced to walk around the camp. Everywhere Steve looked, he saw _McGarrett Industries_ plastered on every weapon lying around.

“What?” he asked breathlessly. This wasn’t where his weapons were supposed to be going. They were supposed to go to American troops. They were supposed to help people.

The man spoke again and Jenna translated, “You are a very popular man, Mr. McGarrett. Your weapons give us a lot of good luck.”

Steve swallowed and tried to control the look of helplessness and disgust on his face. “What does he want from me?”

Once again, Jenna translated. “He wants you to build them those homing missiles you showed off. Or something better.”

“Over my dead body,” Steve smiled and nodded.

Jenna told the man that Steve agreed and he laughed and slapped Steve on the back. “He says thank you and just do what you’re told.”

****

The next day, Steve woke with a jerk as he tried to wipe out his bad dreams. Then he groaned as he realized it wasn’t a dream. He really had been captured by some terrorist group and was being forced to make weapons for them.

“It gets better some days,” Jenna said from her cot. “You can forget.”

“Really?”

“No. I thought it might make you feel better.”

Steve chuckled hollowly. “Thanks, Jenna.” He sighed before easing out of his cot. He grunted as the jumper cables that connected his heart to the battery pulled. He growled as he picked up the battery. “First things first. Get rid of this battery.”

“You’ll die with out it. The shrapnel was very close to your heart. I only managed to get the large pieces. That battery is keeping the smaller pieces away from your using magnets.”

“I’m Steve McGarrett. I can build a better one.”

Jenna snapped her mouth shut as she contemplated that statement. “Okay. What do you need?”

Steve grinned at her. “This is going to be a beautiful friendship.”

****

Hours later after their captors brought them everything Jenna had listed, they were pulling weapons apart, melting them down, and remaking them into an arc reactor.

“An arc reactor?” Jenna had asked in surprise.

“A miniature one. That should be enough to keep me alive until we get out of here,” Steve replied while carefully pulling some palladium from a weapon. “And this is what will help. We need all of it.”

Jenna nodded and set about taking the palladium from any of the weapons. Once that was done and everything had been molded and perfected, they tested the arc reactor. Jenna let out a small cheer when it lit up. Steve smiled, then frowned.

“Is something wrong with it?” Jenna asked.

“No. But you’re going to have to help me. We need to turn this battery off and replace it with the reactor.”

“I won’t be able to knock you out.”

“I can handle the pain,” Steve stated.

“It’ll have to be quick. I’m not sure how fast those small pieces will move once the power goes off.”

“Let’s do it then.”

Steve lay down on his cot and took a few deep breaths, while Jenna pushed his ruined shirt aside.

“Ready?” she asked.

Steve nodded and gripped the side of his cot. Jenna placed the arc reactor on Steve’s stomach, for quick access and quickly unhooked the jumper cables. Then she pulled out what was in Steve’s chest. Steve’s breathing became irregular, so Jenna moved quickly, but methodically. If she messed up even a little, Steve was dead. The arc reactor made a little click when it was connected and settled properly. Jenna let out a sigh and wiped at her brow.

“That was too stressful,” she mumbled.

“You’re telling me,” Steve quipped. He sounded fine, but Jenna noticed the way he still had a death grip on the cot.

“Well,” she said, changing the subject. “We should get started on that other project.”

****

That night- well Steve assumed it was night; time didn’t really change in their cave, Jenna got to work disassembling the remaining weapons. Steve sat at a nearby table and made a rough sketch of his new weapon. He showed it to Jenna, who blinked in surprise.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes. This will work,” Steve replied.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can throw together.” 

Jenna stripped the metal of the weapons and gave them to Steve, who melted them down in the most unsophisticated melting pot he’d ever been given. While Jenna worked on the little parts and connecting them with wires and Steve worked on forging the metal, she and Steve talked.

“So do you have anyone back home?” she asked him. Jenna glanced up. He’d been silent for so long, she thought he was ignoring her. He wasn’t. Steve was paused in the act of hammering some metal.

“I. Kind of,” he finally said. He continued hammering. “I have a sister. We don’t talk much. And I have. Well, I have Chin. He’s my best friend. Sometimes. When I don’t make him mad at me.”

“Sounds complicated.”

Steve snorted and moved the metal into some water. “You have no idea. I also have Danny.”

“Oh?” Jenna perked up.

“It’s not like that,” Steve turned to her with a scowl on his face. “He’s my assistant. He has a daughter and an ex-wife.”

“Still, he must be close to you.”

“I pay him. Anyone can be close to me for the right amount of money.” 

They worked in silence for some time before Steve asked, “What about you?”

“Me?”

“You have anyone?”

“I have a fiancé waiting for me. We wanted to help people out here, and since I’m an engineer and he knows the area and we both speak the language, we got recruit to come here. We were helping a village, Gulmira, when these guys captured me.” 

“Because you’re an engineer.”

Jenna nodded and smiled softly. “Josh, got beat up, but left behind. I hope to see him again soon.”

“You will,” Steve stated as he brought his finished piece over to her. He set it down and they both looked at the faceplate. “I promise.”

****

Jenna and Steve huddled around their work, when suddenly their cell door swung open. A group of fifteen men came in. One man stepped forward.

“Who’s that?” Steve whispered as they were prodded to stand.

“That’s the leader, Sang Min,” Jenna whispered back. She let out a squeak as two men pulled her away from Steve and made to kneel.

“What are you doing?” exclaimed Steve. He tried to move forward, but was stopped by one of the men.

Sang Min said nothing as he stalked closer to Steve. He pulled apart Steve’s shirt and tapped the arc reactor. Steve shifted away uncomfortably and covered his reactor back up. Sang Min chuckled at Steve’s reaction and then moved towards Jenna.

“I hear you two have been making me weapons,” he said in a raspy voice.

“We are,” Steve replied.

Sang Min opened his arms and spun in a circle. “I don’t see any.”

“They’re a work in progress.”

Sang Min smirked and kneeled down to stare at Jenna. “Is this true?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered unsteadily.

Sang Min stood and motioned to his men holding Jenna. One man grabbed her head and forced her mouth open. The other made sure she held still. Sang Min grabbed a pair of nearby tongs, which were still hot from use at the force and advanced on Jenna.

“Wait!” Steve shouted. He took a step forward. The men not holding Jenna brought their weapons up and pointed them at Steve. He held up his hands, but continued talking. “Just. Wait.”

“I’m listening,” Sang Min replied. He held the tongs loosely by the grip, indicating his willingness to listen, but kept glancing at Jenna, which made Steve nervous.

“We will have a full working weapon tomorrow. We just need more parts,” Steve said persuasively.

Sang Min seemed to consider it before setting the tongs down with a clink. His men released Jenna, who stood shakily. “Give them what they need,” he said. He walked past Steve, eyeing his chest once more and said, “Tomorrow or she looses her tongue.”

Steve swallowed and nodded. As the group of armed men left, he turned to Jenna. “You okay?”

She nodded and said, “We’d better get to work. We have a lot to do.”

Steve grinned. “Let’s get started then.”

****

Hours later, Steve was standing in a corner wearing a heavy suit of iron. It was hooked up to a rudimentary computer. Jenna was going back and forth between the suit and the computer, checking the numbers it was putting out.

“Is this ready?” she asked as she bit her lip in concentration.

“Maybe.”

“Will it work?”

“Possibly.”

Jenna sighed, but didn’t reply. She tweaked some more things on the suit, while keeping an eye on the door.

“What’s the suit’s progress?” Steve asked. He was craning his neck trying to get a look at the computer.

“Eighty-five percent,” Jenna mumbled. “I don’t know if we’ll have enough time before they show up to knock on our door.”

“We’ll be fine,” Steve replied with confidence.

Right then, their cell door exploded. They had rigged it earlier as a warning system and as a distraction. Jenna gave Steve a look. Steve just smiled and shrugged as best he could in a suit of iron. She rolled her eyes at him.

“Eighty nine percent,” she said slowly, glancing at the hole where the door was. “There won’t be enough time.”

“Jenna…” Steve trailed off.

“I’ll give you some times,” she said and put the faceplate on Steve’s head. Then she ran to the door, grabbed a gun from one of the dead guardsmen, and ran out shooting.

“Jenna! Jenna, no!” Steve shouted after her. “Damn it.” He could only wait and watch as the progress bar slowly reached one hundred percent. As soon as it did the lights blew out as all the power in the base went into Steve’s suit.

Steve waited in the darkness of his cell, as he was still hooked up to the computer. Soon some armed men came in and began to approach his position. He powered up the suit and smacked the men with his metal arm. They flew backwards and slammed into the cave walls, falling unconscious.

“Huh,” Steve said. Then he clunkily made his way out of his cell and down the winding halls of the cave system. He came across some more men who fired at him. The bullets bounced off his suit and ricocheted all over, killing the men who shot at him.

After a few more fights, Steve came across Jenna at the entrance. She was lying on some supplies and bleeding from the stomach and chest. Steve flipped his faceplate up and stood over her.

“Jenna, you can’t die. Your fiancé is waiting for you,” Steve said thickly.

Jenna took a wheezing breath. “He is. He died when they captured me. He’s waiting for me on the other side.” She reached a hand out and tapped the metal covering Steve’s chest. “Steve, you’re a good man in here. Don’t forget it. Now go. You have people waiting for you.”

“Thank you for everything, Jenna.”

She smiled at him before closing her eyes. Steve stood over her and listened as her breathing stopped. Then he swallowed and left her body behind. He flipped his faceplate back down and trundled outside. More men fired at him, but Steve just raised his arms and activated the flamethrowers built into his armor. As he slowly walked through the area of the camp closest to the cave, Steve made sure to light all the weapons the group had amassed on fire. Soon, various weapons caches were exploding around him.

Steve took one last look at the cave before making his way towards the middle of the camp. Sang Min met him halfway, brandishing a machine gun.

“That won’t stop me,” Steve said.

“We shall see,” Sang Min replied. He fired, but the bullets did nothing. In a rage Sang Min rushed at Steve.

Steve laughed and smacked him in the face with his arm plate. The leader howled in pain as the hot metal touched his face. Steve smirked behind his mask and left Sang Min as he crawled away. Steve made sure no one was around as he neared the end of the camp before letting out a final blast from his flamethrowers onto a huge stockpile of McGarrett Industries weapons.

As they exploded, Steve used up the last of his power to shoot off into the sky and fly away. He fell down a few miles away. His suit lay in pieces around him, but Steve was alive.

“I’m alive. I think my arm is broken, but I’m alive,” Steve muttered as he pulled himself out of the lower half of the suit. “I’m alive, but completely lost in the desert.” He looked around him and sighed. “At least the flying was fun.” He laughed and wrapped what was left of his clothes around his face and chest. Then he set off into the desert hoping someone would find him soon.

****

Hours later, Steve looked around once more. He had been walking for miles and he wasn’t sure he was hearing what he thought he was hearing. It sounded like helicopters, but Steve couldn’t be sure. However, as the sound neared Steve looked above him and dropped to his knees in relief as two helicopters flew over him. He stayed on his knees as they landed and Chin Ho Kelly jumped out of one and ran to him.

Chin fell to his knees and hugged Steve tightly. “Next time, let me go in the funvee.”

Steve chuckled weakly and clutched his friend tighter.

****

_Honolulu, HI_

In a few days Steve was aboard a United States Army plane and safely on his way home. He had to sit in a wheelchair and had his arm in a sling. Chin was sitting next to him, holding onto his non-injured arm.

As the plane landed, Steve stiffened.

“What is it?” Chin asked. “Are you in pain?”

“I don’t want Danny to see me in the wheelchair,” Steve replied, giving Chin a small grin. “He’s probably sick with worry. I don’t need to make it worse.”

Chin nodded and helped Steve to stand and regain his balance. They made their way slowly down the ramp being lowered from the plane.

“There they are,” Chin murmured and pointed towards Steve’s town car.

Steve ignored the pack of reporters off to his left and focused on the scene in front of him. Danny, Kamekona, and Grace all stood by his town car. Once Grace saw Steve, she took off running to him. 

Steve let go of Chin and scooped Grace up with his good arm. She buried her face in his shoulder.

“Hey, keko,” Steve said into her hair.

“Hey, haku hana,” she replied. Grace tightened her arms around Steve’s neck.

“Let’s go see Danno, huh?” Steve said as he shifted her weight, but made no motion to put her down.

Grace nodded and lifted her head. “Danno wants to give you a big hug too.”

“Really?” Steve grinned. Grace nodded again with a slight smile on her face. “Awesome.”

They made their way to the car, ignoring the reporters clamoring for attention. Chin was next to them, keeping people back. Grace opened her mouth to say more, but was grabbed by Danny and set down on the ground.

“Get in the car, monkey,” he said while looking Steve over.

Steve and Danny stared at one another for sometime until Kamekona came up and gathered Steve in a big hug.

“We missed you, boss,” the big man said.

“I missed you too,” Steve replied, while patting Kamekona’s back.

Kamekona pulled back with a big grin on his face. He then held the car door open for Grace, Danny, and Steve.

“Chin?” Steve asked warily, before getting in the car.

“I’m going to be upfront with Kamekona,” Chin replied as he placed a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Climb in back before these reporters rush us.”

Steve nodded and slid into the car. Grace climbed in after him and snuggled up next to him. Danny sat on Grace’s other side, but his legs brushed against Steve’s.

Once everyone was settled and the car pulled away from the airstrip, Steve turned to look at Danny. “Mr. Williams?”

“Yes, Mr. McGarrett?” Danny asked.

“I want a cheeseburger. Two of them.”

****

A few hours later, the car pulled up to McGarrett Industries, where Pat Jameson had organized a press conference. Steve got out of the car, one hand holding the chocolate milkshake he had gotten along with his cheeseburgers, the other holding Grace’s hand. He passed his milkshake off to Danny and pulled Pat into a tight hug.

“It’s good to see you, Pat,” he said.

“You too, Steve,” the older woman sniffed. She pulled away, dabbing at her eyes. “Sorry I couldn’t meet you at Hickam Air Force Base. I was setting this up, so they wouldn’t bother you too much when you got off the plane.”

“Not a problem. Let’s go in before they all have a conniption.” Steve squeezed Grace’s hand before letting go and took Pat’s arm and walked inside. Chin followed right behind Steve, checking for any danger. Danny and Grace followed farther behind, while Kamekona stayed with the car, so Steve could make a quick get away if things went bad.

Once inside, Steve walked passed all the reporters as they clamored for his attention. He stood at the podium with Pat and Chin on either side of him. He opened his mouth, but then closed it shaking his head.

“Can we just,” he started moving in front of the podium. “Can we just sit?” He sat on the floor and stared up at everyone. “Come on, sit.” Pat looked confused, but sat next to him. All the reporters sat on the floor, looking uncomfortable. Steve looked at Chin who rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Oh right. Can’t mess up the uniform. Anyway, my experiences in Afghanistan literally changed my life. They made me a different person, with different perspectives.” Steve paused and looked around. The reporters were scribbling furiously into their notepads. Pat looked more confused then ever. Chin look concerned and annoyed. Danny looked worried and seemed to be aggravated with the man standing next to him. And Grace just looked like she wanted to run to Steve and never let go. “As of today,” Steve finally spoke up again. “McGarrett Industries will no longer be producing any weaponry.”

There was a clamor as Pat surged upwards towards the microphone on the podium and said, “No. No. Steve, what? No. He doesn’t mean that.”

Chin helped Steve up, while Steve said, “I do mean it.”

****

Meanwhile, before Steve’s announcement, Danny was trying to get rid of some guy who wanted to talk to Steve and make sure Grace didn’t run after Steve.

“What’s your name again?” he asked in an exasperated tone of voice.

“Vincent Fryer. I’m from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division,” Fryer said.

“That’s a long name and Steve isn’t up for any interviews.”

“We’re working on shortening it. I’m not here for an interview.”

Danny turned towards Fryer. “Then what are you here for?”

“We just want to talk to Mr. McGarrett about how he escaped.” Fryer handed Danny a card and then turned his attention to Steve, who dropped the bombshell about McGarrett industries. Danny sighed and closed his eyes.

“Did you know he was going to do that, Danno?” Grace asked from his side.

“No. Trying to control that man is like trying to herd cats. It can’t be done,” Danny grumbled.

Grace muttered something that Danny thought might have been _‘also into cats’_ , but he wasn’t sure. He did know that Grace had spent far too much time with MAMO in the past few months.

“If you’ll excuse us, Mr. Fryer,” Danny said politely.

Fryer inclined his head and walked away.

“Come on Gracie, let’s go wait in the car.”

****

After the press conference, Pat asked Steve to meet her in one of McGarrett Industries’ labs. Kamekona drove Steve, Danny, and Grace over there.

“I don’t see why she couldn’t meet you at home,” Danny grumbled. “Your babies miss you.”

“Aw, Danno. You do care,” Steve said sweetly.

“Fuck off,” Danny growled. “And where is Chin?”

“He had to go back to the base,” Kamekona said from upfront. “I could take you and the kid home before coming back?”

“No. We’ll wait.”

Steve nodded and got out of the car. He smiled as he walked in, pulling his sling off as he went. Pat was standing next to a giant arc reactor, that the company could never get to work. She would love what he did in Afghanistan.

“Pat!” he called out.

“Steve,” she turned to smile at him. “That stunt at the press conference got us in a lot of trouble.”

“It wasn’t a stunt,” Steve frowned. “I meant every word of it. I don’t want to be a warmonger anymore. I want to help people. McGarrett Industries will lead the way to make peoples lives easier and happier.”

“That’s a nice sentiment, Steve,” Pat began.

Steve cut her off. “No. I want the company to began research into medical cures for cancer, AIDS, everything. I want our techs working on fuel efficiency and robotics. I want people working on affordable phones, cars, microwaves, TVs, everything! I live in the future and I want everyone else to as well.”

Pat laughed. “What’s changed you?”

Steve looked around before pulling the buttons on his shirt apart. “Look.”

Pat stepped closer and gasped. She covered his arc reactor back up. “Is that what I think it is?”

“A miniature arc reactor. I plan on making a better one once I get home.”

“This could make the board see reason. Think of what we could do.”

“No, we have to test it more. I’m not ready for this to get out. It could into the wrong hands.”

“Okay, okay,” Pat agreed. “We can wait. Now get out of here before you assistant loses his mind.”

“Too late,” Steve laughed as he excited the lab.

****

The first thing Steve did once he was home, was collapse on the couch. “MAMO, I love you. I shall never leave you again,” he said up to his ceiling.

 _“It’s good to see you has well, Steve. We’ve missed you,”_ MAMO replied.

Steve sighed happily and tugged his tie off. “I need more food.”

“And Disney movies!” Grace piped up. She flopped next to Steve and snuggled into this side.

“Especially Disney movies, keko. Hey, why are you here by the way? Not that I mind of course.”

Grace coughed and looked uncomfortable.

“She threw a fit,” Danny said from the doorway. He walked over and sat on a chair, next to the couch.

“Danno,” Grace whined.

“Gracie,” Danny said back.

She huffed and turned to Steve and said, “Mom and Step-Stan went to Las Vegas. Step-Stan got a job to build…something. And I couldn’t leave! What if you came home and I wasn’t here to see you!” 

“When we found out you were missing, Grace wouldn’t leave the house. Then, when Rachel tried to collect her, she ran into your workshop and MAMO wouldn’t let anyone in until Rachel agreed to let Grace stay for as long as needed,” Danny finished. 

“MAMO likes me and loves you, so he helped me.” She bit her lip and moved closer to Steve. “Besides, you’d drive Danno crazy within two hours.”

Steve laughed and kissed the top of Grace’s head. “That’s true. Now, about that food?”

Danny sighed and asked, “What do you want?”

“Pizza. With pineapples.”

Danny’s eye twitched, but he said nothing. “I’ll get you a large one and a small plain, normal, pizza for me.”

“You mean boring.”

“Shut. Up. Or I won’t get you anything.”

“MAMO will, won’t you MAMO?”

_“Most certainly, sir.”_

“See?”

“I hate you all,” Danny sighed as he got up. “MAMO, will you place the order please. Grace, let’s get your bath ready and you, Steven.”

“Yes, Daniel?”

“Go take a shower. And MAMO, don’t let him into his workshop until he eats at least four slices of pizza.”

_“Of course, Mr. Williams.”_

Steve made a face and Grace giggled. “You are so bossy Danno.”

****

“Could you try to go to bed at a normal time?” Danny asked as he tucked Grace into bed.

They had eaten dinner and watched four Disney movies, including _Lilo and Stitch_ and _The Emperor’s New Groove_. Then Steve had demolished the ice cream Danny had had delivered earlier. Soon after dessert, Grace had started to nod off and Steve was getting antsy, so Danny called it a night. He and Steve had put Grace to bed, and now Steve was inching towards the door, hoping to make a break to his workshop unimpeded.

“I can try,” Steve said earnestly. “But I make no promises. I need alone time with my babies, as you called them.”

“Please,” Danny scoffed as he pushed Steve out the door and shut it lightly behind him. “You dote on those robots like there were your own kids.”

“Well, they might as well be. Besides, Grace likes playing with them.”

Danny rolled his eyes and made his way down the hallway, towards his bedroom. “Just call if you need anything, Mr. McGarrett.”

“I always do, Mr. Williams.” Steve watched Danny shake his head and go into his room. He stood in the hall for a while, before making his way down into his workshop. As he approached, he could see through the glass walls, the outline of his cars and inventions cluttering up the space in the darkness.

 _“Nothing has been touched since you left,”_ MAMO said as Steve opened the door. The lights to the space came on and Dummy, Butterfingers, and You came to life. They wheeled over to him and began chittering at him.

“It’s nice to see you again, too,” Steve laughed. He pet his robots, letting his fingers run over their grooves and pivots. “I really missed you morons,” he muttered. The robots took no offense; they were used to his fond insults. They grabbed at his shirt and pulled him to the nearest worktable. “Well, you are due for upgrades, aren’t you?” They made noises in agreement and Steve grinned. “All right, let’s get to work.”

****

When Danny stumbled downstairs at four in the morning, alerted by MAMO that Steve had passed out, he saw Steve sleeping on the couch surrounded by Dummy, Butterfingers, and You. Danny smiled.

“Make sure you take a picture, MAMO,” Danny whispered.

 _“I’ve already done so,”_ MAMO replied with a smug tone. _“And I’ve taken the opportunity to make copies for you and Miss Williams.”_

Danny chuckled and moved forwards. He had grabbed a blanket from his bed when he made the trip down here. He covered Steve up with the blanket and gave each of the robots a pat on the head. “Good boys,” the blonde said proudly. “Keep him safe.”

The robots chattered in agreement and wiggled their fingers at Danny. Danny laughed again and then made his way back upstairs. Steve was going to flip out when he saw those pictures. God forbid anyone find out he has a heart.

****

The nest day, Danny made his way back down to Steve’s workshop. He saw Steve lying back, shirt off, fiddling with something on his chest. When Danny opened the door and walked in, he realized it was the thing keeping Steve alive.

He took a breath and asked, “Should you be touching that?”

“Danno!” Steve beamed at him. Then he frowned. “Grace won’t come down here, will she? She doesn’t need to see this.”

“No,” Danny frowned back. “Kamekona took her shopping.”

“Good. Now, come closer.”

Danny did as he was commanded and winced. “Jesus, what the fuck happened?”

“Shrapnel, Daniel. I need help getting this out of me, so I can put this in.” Steve held up a shiner version of the thing inside his chest.

“Did you make that last night?”

“Yep. After I upgraded my babies.”

“Can’t you ask MAMO to help? Or Chin?”

“I don’t trust anyone but you to do this,” Steve said sincerely.

“What do I need to do?” Danny capitulated with a sigh.

“Right, okay. Carefully grab and pull that one wire up,” Steve instructed.

Danny reached inside Steve’s chest piece and winced. “This is so gross. What is this, slime? Ugh, I’m going to be sick.”

“Not on me please. You have the wire?”

Danny nodded.

“Now, bring it up more so it can be hooked up, but don’t touch the sides or else.”

“Or else what?” Danny muttered as he tried to concentrate. His fingers slipped and the wire hit the side of the metal casing and machines starting going off. “Oh, god, what’s happening?”

“I’m just, you know, dying,” Steve panted. “Hurry please.”

Danny fumbled for the new device and managed slot it together with the chest piece. The beeping machinery stopped and Steve seemed to breathe normally again.

“Fucking Christ, that was enough to take years off my life, you son of a bitch,” Danny ranted, wiping his hand on a towel Steve had lying around.

“Thanks, Danno,” Steve replied as he sat up.

“No problem.” He picked up the old arc reactor and asked, “What do you want me to do with this?”

“Throw it away. I don’t need it anymore. Anything else or can I go back to my work?” He pulled a shirt on looked at Danny expectantly.

“Your sister is coming to visit,” Danny said with a shark-like grin.

“Just, don’t hit on her.”

Danny glared. “I’m not the one that slept with someone else’s sibling.”

“I didn’t know he was your brother! I apologized!”

“Yeah, well. Don’t do it again.”

“I said I wouldn’t. When is Mary arriving?”

Danny shrugged and began to leave the workshop. “You won’t remember anyway, so why should I tell you?” he asked as he pulled the door closed behind him.

Steve watched the blond climb the stairs and then slumped down into a chair. “At least you love me,” he said to his robots.

Butterfingers let out a whistle of agreement and then proceed to knock a wrench off one of the worktables.

****

A few days later, Danny pulled Steve away from his work. “Hey!” he protested, dropping his tools. “That’s important!”

“So am I,” Mary replied from the stairs.

Danny shoved Steve towards his sister, and then went back upstairs, muttering about workaholic bosses and their annoying sisters.

“You love us!” Steve and Mary shouted in unison. They grinned at each other as Danny grumbled louder.

Once the blond was out of sight, Mary punched her brother on the arm.

“Ow,” Steve whined, rubbing the sore spot. “What was that for?”

“For getting kidnapped!” She threw her arms around Steve and hugged him tightly.

Steve hugged back, but pulled away quickly. “I didn’t do it on purpose. They only wanted me for my brains.”

Mary wiped at her eyes before sitting down on the couch. Steve sat next to her, drumming his fingers against his leg. Mary rolled her eyes before saying, “For the love of God, just go work while I talk to you.”

“Thanks,” Steve beamed and practically leapt from the couch to go back to his work.

“I hear Pat and the board of directors were pretty pissed off at you.”

“Eh,” Steve waved a hand dismissively. “Pat gets it and the board can suck it.”

“Hmm,” Mary hummed.

Steve glanced up at his sister suspiciously, but she wasn’t paying attention. “Why are you here?”

“To see my brother who was kidnapped and injured, obviously,” was her quick reply.

“Whatever. Don’t sleep with Danny.”

Mary smirked. “You’re the one who sleeps with siblings, not Danny.”

“It was once! And I didn’t know it was his brother, okay?”

“Sure.” She tilted her head as she watched him work. “What are you making?”

“Just, uh, things. Toys. I like toys,” Steve muttered. He made sure that no schematics were up and covered up some of the more complete pieces up with rags. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing dangerous.”

Mary hummed again, before standing and walking over to Steve. She kissed his cheek. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too,” Steve said gruffly.

“Are you going to the party tonight?” Mary asked as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

“Nah, I was told to stay away.”

“Danny and I are going together.”

“That’s why you came!” Steve accused.

Mary shrugged and pushed away from Steve. “If one McGarrett is too crazy, then the other will have to do. Luckily, I was always the crazy one. You’ve managed to top that, bro.”

Steve made a disgusted sound and went back to his work.

Mary laughed and began to leave his workshop. Steve heard her pause at the door. “What?” he asked.

“You should come. It’d be good for everyone.”

Steve grunted. He heard Mary sigh and then leave. Once he was sure she was gone, Steve put his work down and walked towards the main computer. “MAMO?”

_“Yes, sir?”_

“Where is this party taking place?”

****

Steve swaggered into the party, with a huge smirk on his face. He nodded at a few reporters who had been let in and made his way to the bar. Mary saw him and smirked back at him. He glared at her, before ordering a whiskey on the rocks. Steve watched the sea of people move around him, finally spotting Danny at the buffet talking to the same man from the press conference. Steve frowned, threw back his drink, and made his way to Danny.

“Danny!” Steve called out, waving.

Danny smiled slightly at him. “Steve. You weren’t supposed to come.”

Steve shrugged. “I was never good at following directions.”  
The other man held out a hand. “Agent Fryer from–”

“That’s nice,” Steve interrupted. He took Danny’s elbow and led the shorter man out to the dance floor.

“Steve, that was rude.”

Steve shrugged again. “He can make an appointment.”

“That’s what I said,” Danny laughed.

They danced for a bit, before Danny spoke up. “Everyone is staring.”

“They’re just jealous.”

“Of you or me?”

“Both of us.”

Danny snorted.

“We can stop if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“No. I just need some air.”

“Right. Yes. Of course.”

They made their way to a balcony and stood in awkward silence.

“How are you feeling?” Danny asked.

“Fine. No pain at all.”

“Pat still wants you to show it to the board?”

“Yeah, but that’s not happening.”

“Good.”

“I mean, if I don’t bring them something, they’re going to vote me out, but whatever. I can rebuild, right?”

“Absolutely. Grace and I will help.”

Steve grinned. “Great.” He moved closer to Danny, blocking the smaller man from leaving. “So.”

“So.”

They stared at each other for sometime. Steve lowered his head slightly, but before their lips could touch, there was a loud clattering sound from inside the party. Danny jumped back.

“I need something to drink,” he muttered as he fled from Steve.

“Damn it.” Steve collected himself before going back inside. He went back to the bar, not seeing Danny nearby and ordered another whiskey. As he was sipping it, Laura Hills sidled up next to him.

“Mr. McGarrett,” she said coldly.

“Ms. Hills. What can I do for you?”

“I was under the impression that McGarrett Industries had stopped weapons production and sales.”

“We have,” Steve frowned at her.

“Then how do you explain these.” She shoved some pictures in front of him. He took them, his frown deepening.

“What are they?” he asked. They showed, what Steve assumed were terrorists, loading trucks up with weapons. Each weapon had the _McGarrett Industries_ stamped on the side of it.

“The same group that held you, or so my sources think. They are attacking the area around Gulmiera, using your weaponry.”

“I never approved this,” Steve said harshly.

“Maybe you ought to talk to Mrs. Jameson,” Laura sniped, taking her pictures and leaving Steve to stew.

****

Steve pushed his way outside and found Pat giving an impromptu press conference. She grabbed his arm and pulled him next to her, letting the reporters snap a few pictures.

“What are you doing?” Steve asked through a smile.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Pat replied.

Steve kept the smile plastered on his face until the reporters left. Then he scowled at Pat. “You know exactly what I mean. People are getting their hands on my weapons! They aren’t supposed too.”

Pat sighed deeply, “Steve, the world doesn’t work that way. The company needs to make money and while your…altruistic ideas are commendable, McGarrett Industries has always made weapons.”

Steve narrowed his eyes at her. “You can’t. I’ll stop you.”

“Oh Steve,” Pat laughed lightly. “Who do you think set the motion to vote you out?” She pat his back and moved towards the pack of reporters who were still hovering nearby.

Steve stared after her in shock. He couldn’t believe the person who he thought had his back, turned out not to have it at all. He walked past the remaining reporters, jumped into his car and raced home. Once the car was in the garage, he yelled, “MAMO, is the suit ready?”

Almost as soon as Steve got home, he began working on modifying the suit he and Jenna had made. He had taken it on test drives and made sure everything was in working order. Then he made a better one.

 _“Yes. It isn’t painted fully yet. The last coat needs to go on,”_ MAMO replied.

“Well, hurry up. I need to leave as soon as possible.”

****

Steve laughed shakily as he blasted away from Gulmiera. It had been intense fighting the terrorists, even killing a lot of them, but the people had been grateful and that was all that mattered. He grinned behind the mask of his suit as he flew through a cloud. Suddenly, his proximity sensors went off.

“Uh, MAMO?” he asked warily.

 _“It seems that you have been spotted by the Air Force,”_ MAMO replied calmly.

“Oh shit.”

Steve saw two fighter planes come up on either side of him. He shot forward, hoping to outrun them, but they just fired missiles at him. Steve dodged the missiles and fired off his own rockets, destroying the missiles chasing him.

“Fuck, shit, god damn it,” Steve cursed as he flew upwards and then rolled behind the planes. “MAMO, call Chin!”

_“Dialing now.”_

While Steve waited for Chin to pick up, he glided underneath one plane and latched on. He hoped the plane didn’t roll and announce his hiding place.

“What is it, Steve? I’m busy right now,” Chin growled as he answered the phone.

“Yes I know,” Steve replied. “I’m busy too. Hanging on for dear life.”

At that moment the plane Steve was holding onto rolled to one side. He saw the pilot of the second plane look at him in shock. He let go of the first plane and fell before his boosters kicked in.

“Steve. Where are you?”

“Oh, you know. Just flying about. Didn’t know where I wanted to go.”

“Christ,” Chin muttered. “Tell me you aren’t in that suit that has two Air Force birds chasing after it.”

“I would if I could.”

“God damn it, Steve!”

“Hey! I didn’t know that I’d be chased by two planes, all right?”

“You _destroyed_ a terrorist cell that we’ve been watching for a long time,” Chin whispered fiercely.

“Well, someone had to do something!” Steve yelled back. He was too focused on yelling at Chin, that he didn’t see the missile until it was almost too late. “Son of a–!” Steve was able to pull up in time, but the plane behind him wasn’t. The missile hit a wing and the plane began to spiral downwards. “Damn it!”

“Steve!” Chin managed to yell in a whisper.

“Not now.” Steve watched as the pilot ejected from his plane, but didn’t open his parachute. Steve shot downwards, making sure to use an extra boost to reach the man before he fell much further. Steve grabbed onto the pilot and yanked on the parachute release. Then he let go and watched as the pilot drifted to safety.

“Good job. We need to talk, Steve,” Chin said seriously.

“Not now. I need to get home before Danny and Grace get back. Later,” Steve hung up on Chin and put all the power in the suit into flying home.

****

Steve was in the middle of getting his suit taken off, when he heard his workshop door opened. He whipped his head to see Danny and Grace, who was holding onto a small package, staring at him in shock. 

“This isn’t the worst thing you’ve ever caught me doing,” Steve protested.

“It might be the worst thing Grace has ever seen you do!” Danny shouted, coving Grace’s eyes.

Grace pushed her father’s hand away and stepped closer with a huge smile on her face. “You were on TV, haku hana!”

“I was?” Steve smiled back at her. He wiped it off his face as he saw Danny’s stony glare. “Uh, I mean…”

“You saved those people!” Grace continued, throwing her arms out and almost dropping the package. “Like, a superhero! Like Captain America!”

“Whoa, let’s not go that far,” Steve replied. The last piece of his suit was taken off and he dropped down next to Grace. “You can’t tell anyone, okay, keko? It’d be dangerous.”

She nodded quickly. “I won’t tell. Not even Kamekona or Mary.”

“Good job.” Steve kissed her forehead. “Now, why don’t you go upstairs so Danno and I can have a talk?”

“You mean, so Danno can yell at you?”

“Same thing.”

They laughed, while Danny scoffed behind them. Grace kissed Steve’s cheek and handed him the package. “This is for you, from me and Danno.” She then went to Danny and said, “Don’t be too hard on him, Danno.”

“I’ll try not to sweetie.”

Grace nodded again, satisfied with that answer. She left the two men alone. Danny waited until the door was firmly shut before launching into his rant.

“Are you serious?” Danny paced around the workshop, while Steve moved towards the bar. He placed the package down carefully before making himself a drink and sitting down on the couch and watching Danny. “You could be injured or killed and we wouldn’t know! Just like last time. Damn it, Steve, I need to know these things! That’s why you hired me!”

“I hired you because you wouldn’t sleep with me. And then I found out how good at your job you are,” Steve replied placidly.

“I will punch you in your fucking face if you keep talking like that.”

Steve waved a hand, indicating to Danny that he should keep going. Danny glared and he took a deep, calming breath. “I need to know what you are planning, because Jesus Christ, I can’t take it again.” Danny sat down next to Steve. 

“Besides my plans usually suck and only you can make them better.”

Danny laughed. “Yes, because of that as well.”

Steve scooted closer to Danny and put an arm around the other man’s shoulders. Steve pulled Danny closer and brought their foreheads together. “We’re a great team, Daniel. I won’t leave you behind again.”

“You better not,” Danny replied, with a hitch in his voice.

Steve pressed a soft kiss to Danny’s hairline before pulling away and finishing his drink. He made another, not looking at Danny. “I need to know what Pat is up too,” he said.

“Mary and I can find out tomorrow. I’m working for her now too.”

Steve turned just in time to see Danny leaving the workshop. He snarled before setting his drink down and opening the package Grace gave him. It was his old arc reactor inside a glass case. Around the arc reactor were the words, _Proof Steve McGarrett has a heart._ He picked up his drink again and took a long gulp.

“Great. Just great,” he muttered into his glass.

Dummy let out a sharp whistle and rolled up next to him. Steve stroked the robots head for a while before going back to work on his suit. There were a few things he needed to upgrade.

****

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Danny hissed as he and Mary walked towards Pat’s office.

“Do you have a better one?” Mary hissed back. “Pat’s supposed to be gone for lunch and her secretary has a dentist appointment, so we need to get in, get the information, and get out.”

“I don’t want to know how you know all this.”

“Probably for the best.”

The stopped short when they saw Pat’s secretary at her desk. Danny glared at Mary, who shrugged.

“I can keep her occupied until she leaves, but you’ll have to get inside,” Mary whispered as they approached. Mary plastered on a fake smile and cried, “Linda! So good to see you! How are you?”

Danny snuck past Linda and Mary and made his way inside Pat’s office. He looked around; double-checking to make sure no one was inside. Then he hurriedly made his way to her desk. He checked all of Pat’s desk drawers, finding nothing. Finally, he fished out the flash drive Mary had shoved at him when that had met outside McGarrett Industries and stuck it in the computer. Danny quickly went through Pat’s files, ignoring unimportant ones and saving the suspicious looking ones onto the flash drive. Then he went through her email, occasionally glancing up at the door. He found one from an unknown source and opened it. There was a video attached that he played.

Danny gasped as he saw Steve, tied up and obviously tortured with the group who kidnapped him standing around him. To Danny, the worst thing was the large bandage that swathed Steve’s chest. It must have been white at some time, but in the video it was dirty and bloody. The men were yelling something he didn’t understand. He closed the video and saved that on the flash drive as well. He could have MAMO translate it for him later. There was a ping, indicating the download was complete.

Suddenly, he heard the door open. He covered the flash drive with a large stack of folders and looked up. “Hello Pat,” he smiled.

“Danny,” she replied with a wry grin. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“Oh, Steve thought you had some files he wanted and here they are,” he said, tapping the folders. He reached down to take them, his fingers finding the flash drive and pulled as subtly as he could. Before the folders could leave the desk, Pat’s hand came down on them.

“What would Steve need with progress reports? He hasn’t read any for a very long time,” Pat asked harshly.

Danny shrugged and kept his smile friendly. “Oh, you know Steve. He always has his reasons, but he never tells me.”

Pat laughed and removed her hand from the folder. Danny kept smiling as he left her office and raced downstairs. He met Mary at the entrance and they practically ran to Mary’s car.

“Good job keeping watch,” Danny groused as they jumped into her car.

“Shut up. Linda wanted to keep talking.”

“Whatever. Just hurry up.” He grabbed Mary’s laptop from the back and stuck the flash drive in it.

“What’s on there?” Mary asked as she drove. Danny didn’t respond right away. She looked over at him. “Danny?”

“Eyes on the road!” Danny said, while scowling at the laptop. “The both of you have no sense of preservation.”

Mary rolled her eyes. “What’s on the flash drive?”

“Nothing good,” Danny sighed. He pulled out his cell phone and a card. “We have to go back Mary.”

“Where?”

“The building where Steve keeps that huge arc reactor.”

Mary made a face, but turned the car around. “Are you calling Steve?”

“Oh, god no. I’m calling someone far more helpful.” He held up his hand, so Mary wouldn’t ask any more questions while he talked. “Hello? Agent Fryer? It’s Daniel Williams. I need some help.”

****

Steve sighed as he ascended from his workshop into the living room. Grace had been down earlier to say good night and Danny and Mary were nowhere to be found. Steve scowled and sat down on his couch. He didn’t like that they were hanging out so much, but he didn’t really have much say in Danny’s sex life, no matter how much he wanted too.

“Maybe I should just ask him out,” Steve muttered to himself. “But, I’m me and he’s Danny, so it probably wouldn’t work and now I’m just babbling to myself. Good job.”

“You know you need better security,” Pat said from the doorway.

Steve glared at her. “Why are you even here?”

“To see if I could change your mind.”

“You won’t. Now get out, before I throw you out.”

Pat laughed. “You would never assault a lady.” She walked to the windows, behind the couch.

“I don’t really see you as a lady,” Steve snapped. He turned to look at her, but felt a prick in his neck before he could turn around. “Wha–?” he asked as his body locked up.

“Oh, it’s a light paralytic and an anesthetic,” Pat said lightly as she pulled up Steve’s shirt. “You won’t even fell me taking your arc reactor out. By the time Danny and Mary get home, you’ll be dead.” 

Steve could only watch in growing horror as Pat removed the technology keeping him alive. _Oh god, Grace._ he thought as Pat finished and walked out of the house. _Grace can’t find me here. Not like this._ Steve made himself fall off the couch.

 _“Sir?”_ asked MAMO.

“Not now,” Steve gasped as he began the slow crawl towards the stairs.

“Haku hana?” Grace asked sleepily from the upper staircase. She let out a shriek when she saw him on the floor. “Steve!” She ran towards him. “What happened? I thought I heard Ms. Jameson.”

“Keko, honey, go back to bed,” Steve struggled to say.

“No,” she frowned at him, looking very much like her father at that moment. “I can help. MAMO! Make sure all the doors are open.”

“Downstairs, Gracie. I need–”

“Okay,” she nodded. She took one of Steve’s arms and tried to pull him downstairs. “You are heavy, Steve.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t talk.”  
As more of the paralytic wore off, Steve was able to stand, and more able to aid Grace in getting him down to the workshop. Halfway there, he leaned against a wall.

“Steve?” Grace asked worriedly.

“Go call Chin. I can m-make it.”

“Are you sure?”

Steve nodded carefully. He waited until Grace ran back upstairs before sliding down the wall.

 _“Sir?”_ MAMO asked once again, more gently this time.

“I ca-an. For Gra-ace.” Steve grabbed the handrail and pulled himself up. He could feel things moving in his chest that should not be moving. He had to hurry. He made his way shakily down into his workshop. Once there, he stumbled inside and collapsed by one of his worktables. He closed his eyes in resignation. Suddenly he felt something thump on his chest. He looked up and saw Dummy above him. On Steve’s chest was the present from Grace and Danny. He looked back up at Dummy and said, “Good boy.” Dummy chattered at him in happiness before rolling away.

Steve fumbled with the glass casing before finally smashing it on the ground next to him. He hiked his shirt up and slotted the old arc reactor back into his chest. He sighed as it started working again.

“It’s a good thing Danno didn’t throw that out like you asked, huh?” Grace asked from next to him.

He blinked. “When did you get here?”

She shrugged before hugging him carefully, but tightly. They were laying like that when Chin skidded into the workshop, panting.

“You all right?” he asked.

“I am now. Help me up. I need to go stop Pat.”

Grace let go of Steve and stood to the side as Chin levered Steve up. Steve walked slowly towards the middle of his shop, calling out instructions for MAMO. Grace curled up on the couch, watching everything. 

“What did they call this?” Chin asked as he walked past old versions of the suit. He tapped one and gave it a fond look.

“Iron Man,” Grace piped up.

“Can I get one?” Chin joked.

“Next time,” Steve said as finished putting his suit on. “Just watch Grace for me.”

“Sure thing buddy.” Grace and Chin watched as Steve flew out of his garage and into the night.

****

Steve raced through the skies towards McGarrett Industries, where Danny had called him from. He pushed his suit and old arc reactor to the limits.

 _“85% stability,”_ MAMO reported.

“Yes. Thanks. Got it.”

Steve pulled up short as he saw his old suit, the one that got him out of the terrorist camp, smashing cars and nearing Danny.

“Damn it, Pat. What have you done?” He dive-bombed Pat and fired off his hand rockets. She flew backwards, crashing into a wall. Steve scooped Danny up.

“I hate flying, Steven!” Danny yelled.

“Shut up!” Steve yelled back.

“Put me down!”

“Where?”

“There!” Danny pointed to the building where the large arc reactor was kept.

“Are you serious?”

“Just do it you Neanderthal.”

Steve made a face, which Danny thankfully couldn’t see, and set his assistant down gently. He stepped away to say something, only to have Pat barrel into him. Danny jumped back and ran inside the building.

Steve, figuring Danny was mostly safe, flew away from the building. However, Pat was right behind him.

_“80% stability.”_

“Thank you, MAMO.” Turning mid-flight, Steve yelled, “It doesn’t have to be like this, Pat.”

“Oh but it does,” she replied, her voice muffled by the helmet. “If you won’t make weapons, I will.”

“Mary won’t let you.”

“Mary will be too busy grieving for her dead brother!”

Steve grit his teeth and fired his hand blasters. Pat’s suit was too large to dodge the blast, so she was pushed back. However, her suit was able to lift more, so she grabbed a car and swung it at him. Steve was unable to get out of the way fully, so he was knocked back and into another building.

_“70% stability.”_

“Just, shut up MAMO! I’m trying to think.” Steve shot a few more rounds off at Pat, but she was able to deflect or absorb most of them. “Shit.” He hesitated, trying to think of something.

Pat took advantage of that hesitation and grabbed his foot. She spun in a circle and flung him back to the building where Danny was. Steve landed on the roof and fell through the glass ceiling to the bottom floor. Danny rushed towards him.

_“65% stability. Faceplate damaged.”_

Steve ripped his faceplate off and looked up to the roof. Pat landed, lifted her own faceplate and looked down.

“This arc reactor is wonderful,” she gestured to the light coming from the middle of her suit. “It’s so powerful.”

“I won’t let you have it,” Steve yelled.

“You won’t have much of a choice.” She started firing her own weapons down at them. Steve grabbed Danny and shielded them both.

“Danny,” he said into his assistant’s ear.

“What?”

“I need you to overload this thing okay? Just throw all the switches, but only when I tell you.”

“Won’t you get killed too?” Danny asked frantically. He turned to look into Steve’s face.

“My suit is better, plus,” Steve wavered for a second, before plowing on. “I love you. I have something to come back too.”

“You–what?”

Steve kissed Danny fiercely and then pulled away. “We can talk about it later. Remember, only when I say!” With that said, he flew up towards Pat, firing more missiles at her.

“We’ll talk about it later. Stupid bastard,” Danny muttered as he ran towards the control panel.

Steve grinned and shot a rocket at Pat.

“What’s the grin for Steve?” she asked maliciously.

“Just thinking of all the fun I’ll have once your gone.”

Pat laughed hysterically.

“How did I not see your evilness before?” Steve asked with an arched eyebrow.

“You didn’t want to,” she hissed.

They both ran out of weapons at the same time and had to settle for punching each other. It seemed like an even match, but then Steve was pushing Pat back. Once he had her where she needed to be, he yelled, “Now Danny!”

“What?” 

Steve smiled widely and pointed downwards. They both looked down and saw Danny overloading the system.

“No!” Pat cried. She tried to shove Steve backwards, so she could have more room to maneuver, but she couldn’t. The electrical current ran upwards, hitting both Steve and Pat. Steve was able to fly backwards and avoid a lot of damage. He just hoped Danny got out in time. Steve collapsed to the ground and looked over at Pat. She wasn’t moving.

_“3% stability.”_

“At least I told Danny I loved him,” Steve breathed out and then closed his eyes.

****

Steve awoke in a white room and in a lot of pain. “Ow,” he said. He reached a hand out for the nurse button or the morphine button or something, when another hand stopped him. “Let go,” he slurred.

“Shut up, you asshole. I am so mad at you right now. I can’t even,” Danny said harshly.

“Daniel. Danny. Danno. It hurts, give me relief,” Steve whined. He looked at Danny and saw that his usually perfectly coifed hair was a mess. “Your hair.”

“Shut up, shut up.” Danny leaned forward and kissed Steve. When he pulled away, he panted, “I love you too. If you ever do that again, I will kill you myself.”

“Right. No almost dying. Good. Yes. I can do that. Kiss me again, it makes the pain go away.”

Danny did as Steve asked, the only time he did, Steve noted distantly. They kissed until the doctors came in.

****

“Are you sure a press conference is a good idea, bro?” Mary asked.

Her, Grace, Steve, Danny, Kamekona, and Chin were all situated in a room off the main hall. This new press conference, held in the same place as the last one, was to discuss how Pat went crazy and how Steve was not Iron Man.

“Don’t have choice,” Steve said as he read the paper. “They can’t get anything right. The suit is gold-titanium alloy, not iron.”

“Iron Man sounds better,” Mary replied.

Steve made a face at her behind his paper. “Ow,” he complained to Danny, who was dabbing at a cut that had opened up.

“Stop being a baby, Jesus.” Danny pulled the paper out of Steve’s grasp and stood him up. “How does his tie look, monkey?”

“Crooked,” Grace stated after some seconds of contemplation.

Danny stepped closer to Steve and straightened his tie. “There.” He looked up at Steve with a smirk. “When this is over, I want some time off.”

“I can take you and Grace anywhere,” Steve offered.

“I’m staying with Aunt Mary while you two honeymoon,” Grace replied. Mary smiled at her brother, when he turned to glare at her.

“I’ll watch out for them, boss,” Kamekona spoke up.

“That does not fill me with confidence,” Danny groaned.

Chin slapped him on the back. “No worries, brah. I can watch them too.”

Danny was about to reply when Agent Fryer stuck his head into the room. “Ready?”

“Yep,” Steve said, patting his pockets. “Got all my cards right here.”

“Good, just follow them and everything will go perfectly.” Fryer turned to leave, but Danny stopped him.

“You said you had a new card for me?” he asked.

“Oh yes.” Fryer fished into a coat pocket and pulled out a card and handed it to Danny.

Danny looked at it and then back to Fryer. “It still says ‘Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division’.”

“Yes, but now we have an acronym. S.H.I.E.L.D. Much easier to say,” he smiled. “This way, Mr. McGarrett.”

Steve squeezed Danny’s hand before walking out to meet the reporters, with Chin right behind him. As they ascended to the podium, Chin caught his elbow and whispered, “Remember, follow the cards.”

Steve nodded, pulling out the cards that had all his answers on them. He walked to the microphone and looked out into the sea of reporters. Behind them, he saw Mary, Danny, and Grace watching him intently. He looked down at the first card and then looked at Danny. His boyfriend already seemed resigned to what Steve was about to do. He smiled at Danny, who smiled back, basically giving Steve permission to mess with everybody.

“I am Iron Man,” Steve said loudly and clearly.  
THE END

****

Steve glared at the man in front of him. “Can you hurry? My boyfriend and I are about to go New Jersey to see his family.”

“Of course, Steve. I’ve come here to talk to you about something I’d like to put together,” the man replied.

“Who are you again?” Steve asked rudely, hoping to throw the man off.

It didn’t work. “I’m Joe White and I’m here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.”

“The what?”

“Don’t worry,” Joe smirked. “I’ll explain it all.”


End file.
